Modem electronic devices are converging towards computers in that often their features, applications and services can be upgraded by downloading software or by enabling pre-stored software.
Enabling the use of content has inspired numerous technologies as understandably many content providers wish to inhibit unauthorized use of their material. Some content providers have opted to trust the end users and released shareware applications with the idea that time or usage type limited using of the content is free of charge and for other use, the end users should send checks or credit card payment data. Perhaps more often, some features, such as document saving or printing are disabled or restrained, until an access key is typed in to prove the purchase of the program.
Unlike shareware distributors who solely rely on the honesty of the end user, some content providers impose copy protection and send individual access keys after receiving a payment for the content. Some sophisticated systems even individualize the content or key to depend upon original target environment so that the same key would not work for another copy of the same software in another electronic device. This may be done by taking some equipment specific code into account when creating the key and then again when verifying the key on installation and use phase. For instance, Microsoft® has adopted product activation approach in which the end user should enter an individual product label to register and responsively receive a release code to enable extended use of the product in question. If during the activation of the product, the number of licensed computers is exceeded, no new activation succeeds and consequentially the product may stop operating after a given period of time.
Typically, however, the end user has to type some code into the target equipment in order to enable the use of desired content therein.
According to Internet publication Wired News, May 19, 2005 article by Katie Dean, Professor Rajit Gadh is developing technology to tag Digital Versatile Data (DVD) discs carrying movies with Radio Frequency Identification units or RFID tags to authorize the discs to compatible DVD players configured to present the content of the DVD disc only after verifying the RFID tag. The tag would be used to bind the use right to the person originally purchasing the DVD disc. At the store, someone buying a new DVD would have to provide a password or some kind of biometric data, like a fingerprint or iris scan, which would be added to the DVD's RFID tag. Then, when the DVD was popped into a specially equipped DVD player, the viewer would be required to re-enter his or her password or fingerprint. The system would require consumers to buy new DVD players with RFID readers. Another interview of Professor Gadh was published by Mary Catherine O'Connor in the Internet publication RFID Journal on May 12, 2005.
The system of Professor Gadh appears very promising for strict restriction of usage right, but would apparently require dealers to purchase special equipment for obtaining and storing the user's own password or biometric data onto the RFID tag. Using biometric data as a key could however be seen as too restrictive as then even other members of the family would not have access to the content in the absence of the original purchaser. This might be inconvenient in case of content for children, for instance, as then a parent who purchased the content would not always be present when the access would be desired. Also buying DVD discs locked with a biometric key for a surprise gift could become impossible. The Article in the Wired News also expressed some reservations to the system. For instance, computer science professor Ed Felten of Princeton University suspected that “the people would find it creepy to give their fingerprints every time they wanted to play a DVD” and concerned it unlikely that people would buy new DVD players with RFID readers in order to purchase DVDs that are less functional. Hence, the incorporation of RFID to DVD players for content protection purpose does not appear desirable.
It is also known from the applicant's earlier patent application publication WO2004/003829A1 to use an RFID tag to authorize the use of downloaded music in a mobile telephone. Another patent application publication of the applicant, WO2004/040923A1 discloses an arrangement using which downloaded applications can be activated using an RFID tag with suitable information stored therein.
Despite the known advances in content authorization and use of RFID, further solutions for providing and authorizing access to content are needed to facilitate legally authorized installation or taking into use of applications and services.